Faculty of Social Sciences , University Of Tehran

Document Type : Research Article / Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Culture and Civilization Department, Faculty of Culture and Communications, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This article seeks to demonstrate the efficacy of the "Four Journeys" model as an innovative methodological framework in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of the social sciences, using a research discourse approach. To this end, the concept of the Four Journeys in Islamic mysticism is first clarified, and it is then argued that the model represents a comprehensive cognitive framework, not confined solely to mystical or spiritual discourse. This claim is substantiated by analyzing and critiquing various types of rational action, showing that forms of analytical, essential, universal, descriptive, and synthetic reasoning align methodologically with the four stages of the Four Journeys. As such, the "Four Journeys of Thought" model may be regarded as a novel epistemological theory. Subsequently, in order to demonstrate the model’s applicability within the philosophy of the social sciences, several prominent sociological theories are re-evaluated through the lens of the Four Journeys. Despite the significant methodological and theoretical differences among these thinkers, their intellectual trajectories can be mapped onto the logic of the Four Journeys, thereby enabling a unified framework for their comparison and interpretation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Azadarmaki, Taghi. (2007). The history of social thought in Islam from its beginning to the contemporary period. Tehran: Elm Publications.
Avicenna. (1992). Al-Mabahithat. Qom: Bidar Publications.
Avicenna. (2021). Rasā'il of Avicenna. Qom: Bidar Publications.
Avicenna. (2023). Al-Shifa. Qom: Ayatollah Marashi Library.
Barzegar, Ebrahim. (2010). Approaches to the localization of human sciences. Methodology of Human Sciences, (63), 29–54.
Benton, Ted, & Craib, Ian. (2005). Philosophy of social sciences (Shahnaz Mosami Parast & Mahmoud Motahhed, Trans.). Tehran: Agha Publishing.
Bourdieu, Pierre, Gibson, Nigel, & Morgan, Gareth. (2014). Macro sociological theories and organizational analysis. Tehran: Samt.
Danai-Fard, Hassan. (2016). Methodology of sign studies in social and human sciences: Foundations, definitions, importance, approaches, and implementation stages. Journal of Research in Seminars and Universities, (86), 39–71.
Farabi, Abu Nasr. (1996). Opinions of the people of the virtuous city and their oppositions. Beirut: Al-Hilal Library.
Farabi, Abu Nasr. (2026). The extracted chapters. Tehran: Al-Zahra Publications.
Gilson, Etienne. (2020). Critique of western philosophical thought: From the middle ages to the early 20th century (Ahmad Ahmadi, Trans.). Tehran: Samt Publications.
Hasanzadeh, Davood. (2012). Analysis of the four journeys and its foundations in Islamic mysticism (Master’s thesis). Imam Khomeini Institute, Qom.
Hasanzadeh Amoli, Hasan. (1999). Maml al-Himma in the commentary on Fusus al-Hikam. Tehran: Ministry of Islamic Guidance.
Iman, Mohammad Taqi. (2017). The philosophy of research methodology in human sciences. Qom: Research Institute of the Seminary and University.
Javadi Amoli, Abdollah. (2005). The solid foundation of Imam Khomeini (RA). Qom: Isra Publications.
Javadi Amoli, Abdollah. (2007). The seal of the sealed. Qom: Isranter Publications.
Khani, Ebrahim. (2013). Evaluating the existential status of acquired knowledge in light of Mulla Sadra's theory of remote perception. Journal of Sadrian Philosophy Research, (2).
Khani, Ebrahim. (2014). The divisibility of the essence of effort following the primacy of existence. Journal of Ontological Researches, (6).
Khani, Ebrahim. (2018a). An examination of the logic of the four journeys of Mulla Sadra and its utilization for presenting a comprehensive and novel model in explaining the stages of rational thought. Sadra’s Thought Journal, (91), 55–74.
Khani, Ebrahim. (2018b). Re-examining the foundations and structure of the ontological issue in transcendental wisdom based on the logic of mystical four journeys according to Qaysari’s reading (Doctoral dissertation). University of Isfahan, Isfahan.
Khani, Ebrahim. (2020). Traveling companion of Hussein: The four journeys of Ashura. Qom: Ma'arif Publications.
Khani, Ebrahim, & Farghani, Mohammad Kazem. (2014). The divisibility of the essence of effort following the primacy of existence. Journal of Ontological Researches, (6).
Khani, Ebrahim, & Hoshangi, Hossein. (2013). Evaluating the existential status of acquired knowledge in light of Mulla Sadra’s theory of remote perception. Journal of Sadrian Philosophy Research, (2).
Khomeini, Ruhollah. (1991). Adab al-Salat. Tehran: Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
Khomeini, Ruhollah. (1997). Misbah al-Hidaya to the Caliphate and Guardianship. Tehran: Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
Mirahmadi, Mansour, & Mehrban, Ahmad. (2016). The capacities of tribalism in explaining political and social phenomena in the Islamic world. Journal of Political and International Studies, (48), 108–137.
Moallemi, Hassan. (2017). The background and plot of Islamic epistemology (2nd ed.). Tehran: Research Institute for Culture and Islamic Thought.
Mulla Sadra. (1981a). Al-Hikmah al-Muta'aliyah in the four rational journeys. Beirut: Dar al-Ihya al-Turath.
Mulla Sadra. (1981b). Al-Shawahid al-Rububiyyah in the methodological paths (Seyed Jalal al-Din Ashtiani, Ed. & Com.). Mashhad: Universitynter for Publication.
Mulla Sadra. (1984). Mafatih al-Ghayb. Tehran: Institute for Cultural Studies and Research.
Newman, William Lawrence. (2010). Social research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches (Hassan Danai-Fard & Seyed Hossein Kazemi, Trans.). Tehran: Mehrban Publishing Institute.
Panhai, Mohammad Hossein. (2014). Normative science and the localization of social sciences. Cultural Strategy, (28), 29–60.
Parsania, Hamid. (2010a). Critical methodology of Sadra’s philosophy. Qom: Ketab Farda Publications.
Parsania, Hamid. (2010b). Hadith of the measure. Qom: Ma'arif Publications.
Parsania, Hamid. (2012). Social worlds. Qom: Ketab Farda Publications.
Parsania, Hamid. (2015). The relationship between the concept of reason in the Qur'an and narrations with reason in Islamic culture and history. Ma'arij Quarterly, (1), 83–112.
Parsania, Hamid. (2016). Ethics and mysticism. Qom: Ketab Farda Publications.
Qomshaei, Agha Mohammad Reza. (1999). The collected works of Hakim Suhba. Isfahan: Researchnter.
Qaysari, Davood. (1996). Commentary on Fusus al-Hikam. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publications.
Qaysari, Davood. (1998). Qaysari’s letters. Tehran: Iranian Society of Wisdom and Philosophy Publications.
Qaysari, Davood. (2004). Commentary on the Taatiah of Ibn al-Farid al-Kubra. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah.
Ritzer, George. (2014). Sociological theory (Hoshang Nayebi, Trans.). Tehran: Ney Publications.
Sharet, Ivan. (2017). Continental philosophy of social sciences (Hadi Jalili, Trans.). Tehran: Ney Publications.
Sideman, Steven. (2016). The clash of ideas in sociology. Tehran: Ney Publications.
Soroush, Abdulkarim. (1997). Lessons in the philosophy of sociology. Tehran: Ney Publications.
Tabatabai, Seyed Mohammad Hossein. (1997). Al-Mizan in Quran interpretation. Qom: University Teachers Society Publications.
Tabatabai, Seyed Mohammad Hossein. (2008). The principles of realism philosophy. Qom: Boostan Ketab Institute.
Yazdanpanah, Seyed Yadollah. (2016). The philosophy of philosophy: Reflections on Islamic philosophy. Qom: Ketab Farda Publications.